Celebrate Mother's Day In Mother Nature On These 5 Hikes
Celebrate Mother's Day while exploring in the outdoors.
For many moms, there's nothing better than spending time in the outdoors, ideally with family, to celebrate Mother's Day. Just picture her happy face as she hikes on a tree-studded trail, leading to a grand viewpoint, waterfall, or picturesque valley.
From challenging multi-day backpacking trips to lovely day treks that would be perfect for wandering slowly and with intention, the below five hikes offer something for everyone. Lace up your boots, pack provisions, and hit the trails to honor your nature loving mama.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most beautiful long-distance hikes in Europe.
One of the most admired long-distance trails in Europe, the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), which circles the stunning Mont Blanc massif and travels through Switzerland, Italy, and France, is so majestic that you'll likely want to do it all over again once you've finished. From charming villages and alpine huts to bell-clad cows to otherworldly views of glaciers, meadows, and forests, this adventure, while challenging, packs a lot in.
To take out the guesswork, enlist in the professional guiding services of Wilderness Travel. They'll plan all of the logistics, help you safely travel from point A to point B, and provide informative and fun context along the way.
Death Valley National Park if full of grand wonders, flora and fauna.
Death Valley National Park, which hugs the border of Nevada and California, might be one of the most underrated national parks in the country. Expect incredible star gazing at this gold-tier Dark Sky Park, as designated by DarkSky International.
Hiking here rewards adventurers with not only incredible views in the land of extremes, but also the chance to see feral horses and other wildlife. You'll marvel at the natural landscapes and diverse ecosystems on a three-night backpacking trip in this dazzling park on the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop.
In a few sections, the trail can be tough to find, making bushwhacking necessary. Utilizing the expert guiding services of Wildland Trekking is a smart idea. They'll not only handle all of the logistics, but also, they'll prepare the meals and do the clean up as well. If you need gear—backpacks, trekking poles, sleeping bags—they have that to borrow as well.
Mothers will certainly get their steps in while on a walking trip in Greece.
For a sojourn that your mom will adore, take her to Greece on a guided walking tour. She'll spend one week hiking on the islands of Santorini, Paros, and Naxos where each of the trails are rated easy to moderate. Your camera roll will be filled with colorful images, especially on the six-mile Cliff Trail in Santorini, which travels from Oia to Fira along the caldera.
Experts in facilitating unforgettable vacations, ones that your mother will never forget, Exodus Adventure Travels takes care of all the heavy lifting so that you can simply enjoy spending time together in the outdoors.
For a tiny island, Saba has plenty of hiking trails to keep you engaged.
If your mom loves to trek in the outdoors but prefers a day hike as well as other outdoorsy activities like farmers markets, outdoor dining, and swimming, then look no further than the island of Saba. This teeny-tiny five-square-mile verdant and rugged Dutch Caribbean island feels incredibly remote and special.
The adventure begins when you land on the shortest commercial runway in the world and continues when you hike to the top of Mount Scenery, a long-dormant volcano, and the highest point in the Netherlands. Plan to get a bit wet and muddy on this hike through the cloud forest, which ultimately leads to panoramic Caribbean views at an outlook (on a sunny day).
Plan to stay for a few nights on the island to really get a feel for the locale. The Cottage Club Hotel features individual private accommodations, each with an outdoor balcony, access to a swimming pool, and a lovely breakfast. There's plenty to do to keep your mom occupied and happy.
Hiking the cable route to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is a big bucket list adventure for many moms.
If you've spent any time in Yosemite National Park, likely you've stood in Yosemite Valley and gazed up at Half Dome, which stretches 8,800 feet above sea level. Perhaps you've wondered what it would be like to stand on top of it.
When the cables are attached, which is the safest time to climb the dome, you'll need to secure a permit before heading out on your adventure. You'll want to be healthy and fit to tackle this strenuous 14—16-mile round-trip hike, which will take the entire day—you'll gain about 4,800 feet of total elevation. For those who are able, the views of Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap, and Yosemite Valley are worth the effort—in spades.
To be properly prepared, bring plenty of water, food, and snacks. Leave before sunrise to give yourself ample time to reach the top before heading back down. Pack a headlight, gloves, boots with great traction like Danner's Mountain 600 EVO, and consider bringing a harness to safely connect to the cables and make the last 400-foot ascent.
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